Anyone else?

[Channy31]

I'm 20 but I often (especially when I don't wear makeup) get mistaken for about 14-16 by people who I haven't spoke to.

I often find that when my hair is curly I look even younger and just don't look or feel glamourous.

Not feeling glamorous/ sexy blush makes me not want to wear my curly hair.

Does anyone else feel like this or am I just crazy haha?
If not, how do you make your natural hair look and feel glamorous?

 

[krissyhair]

I stopped looking through my own critical eyes and started seeing myself from other people's perspective. I look pretty dern cute. Plus, you're only 20. It's good to look young. You might not be Hollywood glam but who cares.

 

[KittyMeowMeow]

I used to wear my hair straight all the time and didn't like it any other way. This was because I was used to seeing myself with straight hair.

I figured out that all the heat use was keeping my hair short and unhealthy, and if I went without heat for the most part, my straightened hair looked great. So I started airdrying in braids (was still texlaxing at that point), only giving myself a heat pass a few times a year. I eagerly looked forward to those few straight days when I could feel like a goddess!

Over time, I learned better how to style my hair and it got longer and healthier. One day, I straightened, and...nothing. I looked so boring! That was 8 years ago, and I've only used heat once since to see my full length at WL (in my avi). Although it appeared a few inches longer than normal, it looked boring.

I am not a fan of defined type-3 curls or SSK, so I don't WnG. I wear my hair in bun-outs (as in my sig) or braidouts since I like the combo of length and volume (do just a few sections and not too tight on type 3 hair for more length). I sometimes comb these out and my hair is "kinky-straight".

My hair stands out in a crowd, and I am definitely known by my hair. It is glamourous, and I get lots of attention from men (and women). I don't see myself straightening ever again.

TL;DR: You get used to it and see the beauty of it in the process of wearing it .

 

[ChocolatePie777]

Wigs and straight hair make anyone look older....whilst curls and wave make people look younger....

As for personal experience. ...I get mistaken for 15/16 all the time....Ill be looking 20 until I'm 40! So I'm not at all mad!...so think about that when you feel down cause you look young

 

[koolkittychick]

I am mistaken for much younger when I wear my hair down, and when it's curly, I can still get carded, and I'm in my 40s. At this stage in my life I definitely do not mind this.

Enjoy looking younger than your years, my dear. It's a gift that many of us women of color enjoy, and one you will definitely appreciate in later years as you watch many of your more melanin-challenged contemporaries run for the Botox, fillers and the surgeon's knife as you and your daughter are mistaken for sisters.

 

[ms.blue]

Enjoy looking young because it's a blessing. I'm 31 soon to be 32 in 3 months and it is pretty cool to look younger.

 

[Ogoma]

With my natural hair, I can look younger or older, glam or casual, hippie or like a scholar. It all depends on what style I do and less on my texture.

 

[Channy31]

I am mistaken for much younger when I wear my hair down, and when it's curly, I can still get carded, and I'm in my 40s. At this stage in my life I definitely do not mind this.

Enjoy looking younger than your years, my dear. It's a gift that many of us women of color enjoy, and one you will definitely appreciate in later years as you watch many of your more melanin-challenged contemporaries run for the Botox, fillers and the surgeon's knife as you and your daughter are mistaken for sisters.

hehe, love this!

 

[Channy31]

With my natural hair, I can look younger or older, glam or casual, hippie or like a scholar. It all depends on what style I do and less on my texture.

I think all my styles must look young then haha! Who knows?

 

[ilong]

I could not have said it any better than other posters, especially @koolkittychick - what you think is not glamorous or sexy now will make you feel like "the cat's meow" in your more seasoned mature years.

I see so many young females who look 2-3 times their age because they let "life live them" instead of them "living life"!

When you are 50+ and still getting hit on by 20 year ol' males (and not those just looking for a convenience stop ) you are going to feel like
Miss USA.

Appreciate your blessing - don't look at it as anything else but that!

 

[Channy31]

I could not have said it any better than other posters, especially @koolkittychick - what you think is not glamorous or sexy now will make you feel like "the cat's meow" in your more seasoned mature years.

I see so many young females who look 2-3 times their age because they let "life live them" instead of them "living life"!

When you are 50+ and still getting hit on by 20 year ol' males (and not those just looking for a convenience stop ) you are going to feel like
Miss USA.

Appreciate your blessing - don't look at it as anything else but that!

Thanks, I think i'll be wearing my curls out tomorrow!

 

[sparkle25]

Black dont crack. Most black people experience people thinking they are much younger than they are. It's just our genes and its a good thing.

 

[Lilmama1011]

i think that occasionally until i see someone younger or my age look way older than me and i just say thank you! when i stopped getting carded i will cry. SO doesn't even get carded anymore only rarely, i do all the time

 

[hnntrr]

I feel you OP. I am 23 and I still get asked if I am in high school, which is annoying to NO end. But we just have young faces. So I know how you feel especially when people are like "oh you'll like it when your older" I probably will its just an annoyance now. It will work itself out though. I wear my hair curly 100% of the time so I think I just look like 12-17 all the time.